Trisakti and Bank Danamon

My niece, whom I support at Trisakti University, informed me that she was obligated to open an account at Bank Danamon to facilitate easy payments to the university. Feeling uncomfortable with this policy, I phoned the Trisakti University finance department to learn that indeed they require all students to open accounts with Bank Danamon.

Furthermore, guarantors of the newly opened accounts are asked to sign a power of attorney letter that obligates them to provide continuous funds to the account as long as the student is enrolled at Trisakti University, and that at any time Trisakti University can withdraw funds from this account for university- related matters using electronic debits.

Since when does an educational institution have the right to dictate where one does their banking? I personally feel very uncomfortable with any kind of direct debit when there is no easy way to monitor what fees are being paid and in what amounts. Staff in the Trisakti finance department justify this practice because it makes their job easier. What about the hundreds of students' families who incur additional charges and difficulties in managing yet another bank account? What about the profits that Bank Danamon makes off fees and interest from hundreds of Trisakti students' accounts?

I have requested alternative payment procedures for support of my family member at Trisakti University. Until now the finance department has not provided me with a bank account number or a schedule of payments. I support two other family members in university and I have never before heard of this practice of mandating the use of a particular bank by the student or their family. Ironically my niece is studying accounting. Is this the example Trisakti University is setting for a new generation of business professionals trained in "fair and neutral" business practices?

DOREEN BIEHLE, Jakarta